


Of Weasels And Chocolates

by Windblader



Category: Rurouni Kenshin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-29
Updated: 2015-03-01
Packaged: 2018-02-06 16:55:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1865400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Windblader/pseuds/Windblader
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Misao's been in love with Aoshi for years, and she's finally resolved that this year will be the year she gives him Valentine's chocolate and confesses. But she overhears something that shatters all her carefully laid plans. What will happen next? AM..AU</p><p>Posted on FFN in 2006. Reposting here.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. He Blows It

* * *

Disclaimer : I own nothing. Someone else owns the characters, and it looks like the plot owns me.

Dedications : This is dedicated to Silver Miko and Shin Sankai. Without them, I wouldn't be half the AM fangirl I am now. This story is my

humble thanks.

Of Weasels and Chocolates : Chapter 1

"Shikijo-sempai! Beshimi-sempai!"

The two seniors looked up at the helter-skelter approach of their junior, rare smiles on their faces. She came dashing down the path without care, skidding to a halt in front of them.

"Konbanwa Misao! You're early today. In case you've forgotten, it's a Sunday. School starts _tomorrow_."

Sticking her tongue out at Beshimi, she ignored his remark and unceremoniously plopped herself down on the front porch of the dojo between them. She was panting from her dash, so they gave her time to collect herself. She had been a member of the Hiten dojo for almost 2 years now, showing up for training every class without fail. Now that she was in senior high and able to join the school karate club, which was under the Hiten dojo, she came even more regularly.

But that _still_ didn't explain what she was doing at the dojo on a Sunday evening. All members knew that on Sunday, the dojo was only open to the most experienced of the club. Once her breathing evened out, they eyed her expectantly. A new voice rang out from in front of them.

"What's my monkey of a junior doing here?"

"Hyottoko-sempai! Eeeh… I am _not_ a monkey!"

"Couldn't prove it by me. So what's up?"

"Hang on, where's Hannya-sem- - Ack!"

That last was shouted as she dove off the porch to evade an attack from behind. That was her latest training to improve her peripheral awareness. Sudden attacks from any senior that happened to be nearby. And if the seniors happened to approach this with more enjoyment than was warranted by mere training… it wasn't remarked upon.

Her dive had ended with her being sprawled on the ground looking up at Hannya, who was smirking complacently down at her. The tall, rugged senior was far and away considered one of the coolest people in the school, second only to his best friend Aoshi Shinomori. The burn scar that covered one side of his face surprisingly didn't detract from his popularity, but gave him a rugged appearance that caused many a female students' heart to flutter.

Unfortunately Hannya didn't seem to notice the attention showered upon him by the fairer sex, a fact that provoked many of the school 'princesses'. His closest friends knew he considered himself disfigured by the scar, no matter how hard they tried to persuade him otherwise. Right now though, he was all confidence, laughing down at his frowning junior. She shot him a deadly glare as she stood up from her sprawl, brushing off the seat of her pants.

"Not bad Misao… You dodged this time."

She winced at the reminder of how many times she _hadn't_ dodged. "Hmph… if that's the kind of welcome I get I don't even know why I bothered to come." Her senior simply laughed and took the seat she'd so abruptly vacated. Looking up at her he asked, "Why _did_ you come? And what's that bag you're trying to hide behind your back?"

She grinned and swung her braid over her shoulder to hang down her back. It would be a cold day in hell when someone managed to put one over Hannya-sempai. Sighing good naturedly she brought the bag in front and began rummaging through it, triumphantly coming up with four beautifully wrapped packages. She tossed each box to its respective startled recipient, desperately trying to appear nonchalant and failing miserably.

The four boys looked at the boxes in surprise, not having expected the gifts in the slightest. Was this…. "Oi Makimachi, if these are Valentine's chocolates, once again you appear to be confused. Valentine 's Day is on _Tuesday_. Today is _Sunday_." She stuck her tongue out at Beshimi, crossing her eyes for good measure.

"If that's the way you accept gifts Beshimi-sempai, I'm surprised you get _any_! Anyway, I'm skipping school on Tuesday, and there isn't any club on Monday, so I wasn't sure of getting all of you together at the same time."

Before a retort could come from the sharp-tongued senior, who thoroughly enjoyed these verbal skirmishes with his junior, a large hand was clapped over his mouth. Hyottoko smiled at her, calmly ignoring his friends' struggles. "Thank you very much Misao. Forgive shortstuff here. As you said, he's not used to getting gifts. How did you know Shikijo and I both preferred white chocolate?" "I asked you both at the winter festival, remember?"

Shikijo smiled and thanked the flustered girl, realizing from her relieved smile she hadn't known if her gifts would be received well. He appreciated the added thought she'd put into the present, going by the fact that she'd not only remembered to use white chocolate, but she'd also molded his chocolate into the shape of a paintbrush. Painting was a hobby of his he remembered mentioning to her in passing.

As he listened to the bantering going on between Hyottoko, Beshimi and Misao, he gathered that Hyottoko's had been molded into the shape of an onigiri, which was his nickname, and Beshimi's into a kunai, after his sharp tongue. Turning, he realised that Hannya was staring raptly into the small box he held, apparently transfixed by what he saw. Curious, Shikijo leaned over to see, and arched an eyebrow. Misao had molded Hannya's chocolate into the kanji for "kakkoii". He realised that his friend was still in shock, and nudged him sharply with an elbow. Did this mean Misao had a crush on Hannya? She _was_ rather studiously avoiding looking at him.

Hannya finally came out of his daze at the nudge and looked up. "Misao… I…"

Immediately the teen flushed to the roots of her hair and began a stammered explanation.

"Ano, Hannya-sempai… It's not what you're thinking! It's just that you always refer to yourself as ugly,… and you always brush it off when I say my friends think you're cool… And, and… And I really think you shouldn't put yourself down so much.. And… Ah , mou!"

With that she buried her face in her hands, convinced she'd made a fool of herself, and worse, made Hannya-sempai think she had a crush on him! Sure he was cool and all, but the one she liked was… The sound of Hannya's voice calling her broke into her jumbled thoughts, and she slowly looked back up at him.

"So basically… You're trying to tell me that even _with_ the scar, I'm still cool."

"Hai! I mean… I just thought it sad that you never think of yourself highly, even when you're considered one of the coolest seniors here. And I know for a fact that Omasu thinks… Eep… just… try to forget I said that."

"Omasu?" repeated Hannya, with a distinct gleam of interest in his eyes. Omasu was a classmate of his who also happened to be Misao's cousin. She lived with Misao and her grandfather at the Aoiya, along with an older cousin, Okon. He'd always thought she was cute but never imagined she'd be interested in him. But now… Misao shook her head furiously, causing her braid to swing like it had a mind of its own. Suddenly a new voice joined the conversation, causing them all to look at the figure which until now had been lounging unnoticed behind the dojo door.

"So the itachi-musume here thinks that Hannya is cute eh? Feh, I didn't know weasels were attracted to humans."

"Saitou-sensei! That's mean!"

He merely took a long puff of his cigarette as he leaned against one of the dojo posts. His lean looks and ferocious temper had lead him to be known as the 'Wolf-sensei" of Misao's high school. He may have been both Misao's guidance counselor and club supervisor, but that didn't stop him from taking delight in tormenting the 'itachi'. Before he could bring up yet another weasel remark, Shikijo's voice cut in.

"Let it lie Misao. Sensei is just jealous that he didn't get any chocolate."

A smirk was Saitou's only reply. A smirk that quickly changed to a look of surprise when Misao rummaged through her bag once more and threw him two cute packages and one brown packet. "How come he gets _three_ gifts? We only got one each!" Misao laughed and replied, "Probably more than he's received at a time _ever_. But no, one box is for Tokio-obaasan and the other is for Mika-chan. The packet is for you sensei."

"What, I don't even get a box?"

Even as he grumbled he tore open the packet and almost laughed out loud. She'd foregone the usual chocolates and instead gotten him a box of nicotine patches. It seemed his wife had really rubbed off on the girl.

Saitou had received the shock of his life when he'd returned from work one day and found that the girl his wife had asked to baby-sit his precious son was none other the 'itachi'. He'd balked at the idea of leaving his home and son in the hands of a weasel, and had been all for canceling their long awaited movie date and staying home. Tokio had other plans. She'd hustled him out the door without so much as a backward glance.

The weasel had proven him wrong when he'd returned to find an immaculate house and, more importantly, an intact son. She'd even managed to get him to sleep, a feat usually only Tokio was able to accomplish. (When he'd asked her how she'd done it, she'd winked and said that his son was a younger version of him. She could handle him couldn't she? He'd growled at her) Since then she'd become their regular baby-sitter and Mika _loved_ her. The only drawback was that now he had  two people nagging him to stop smoking. Feh. It was enough to make a man give up cigarettes. Shaking his head at her, he warned, "You do know that Tokio doesn't allow Mika many sweets…"

"Don't worry sensei. I made him oatmeal cookies. They aren't sweet, and they're healthy."

"Just _how_ many presents did you make?"

"Not too many. I've only a couple left. One is for the 'kuso oyaji', but he doesn't seem to be around."

Before any of them could warn her, there was the swish of a blade slicing through the air, and Misao whirled to find the huge form of her kempo master glowering down at her, sword in hand. At any other time, Misao would have been drooling. The gorgeous Hiko Seijuro was standing before her shirtless and covered in a light sheen of sweat, the moisture only serving to emphasise his muscled body and sharp-featured face. At this particular time, however, Misao was only concerned with two things.

One, the tie that had been holding the ends of her long braid together was currently dangling off the tip of his sword, and two, he'd heard what was her private 'pet name' for him.

"Shishou!"

" _Shishou?_ A moment ago I thought I was 'kuso oyaji'"

"Ack! I mean, no! I wasn't talking about you, I… Anyway, why'd you have to cut that! I didn't bring a spare!"

"Spare _me_.", the big man huffed, sitting down on one of the sawn off tree stumps that dotted the yard. He watched the young girl grumble and curse as she unwound her hair from her braid, allowing it to fall freely to her waist. Let loose, her jet-black hair was thick and wavy, tumbling to frame her face and emphasise just how large and strikingly blue her eyes were. She didn't notice the surprised looks from the men sitting around her. Today for the first time in memory they saw her in something other than her school uniform or her baggy karate clothes, and it was surprising how much difference it made.

She wore a pair of slim, boot-cut jeans and trainers, along with a fitted baby tee, the streamlined outfit clinging to her lithe body. The clothes, along with the waves of hair now streaming down her back, pointed out to all the men present what her other clothes had successfully managed to conceal. Misao Makimachi was growing up into a strikingly pretty young lady. Oblivious to the attention she was getting, she handed Hiko a box, much larger than the others had been.

"Thanks. But I don't like chocolate."

Unfazed by the rude comment, she smirked at him. "You may be surprised. Just open it and see." Arching an eyebrow at her having the temerity to order _him_ around, he complied. What he found in the box sent _both_ eyebrows winging up. On one side were four cubes of chocolate, and on the other, a curiously shaped object wrapped in tissue. She was practically bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement, but she stopped him when he reached for the paper.

"Wait! Try the chocolates first! You'll like them I'm sure. Trust me."

The look he gave her showed what he thought of _that_ , but he popped a cube in his mouth anyway. Never let it be said that Hiko Seijuro was afraid of trying new things. He was pleasantly surprised at the taste. Dark chocolate lightly flavoured with _sake_? An odd combination, but the richness of the chocolate set off the burning of the alcohol. It wasn't sweet, but slightly dry and rich. Finishing off the cube, he reached for the paper again, this time getting no objection from her. Unwrapping it, he smiled. It was a small jug, probably just large enough to hold 5 cups of sake. What made it special were the words, "Property of Seijuro Hiko" engraved into its surface.

She grinned at his reaction, openly relieved. "Consider it a thank you gift for breaking up the fight at the Aoiya last month. Okon could have handled 5 men, but 10 would have been a bit tricky, what with Shiro and Kuro away. And it was in case you didn't like the chocolates."

"The chocolate was good. Now all I need to know is… Four of the senior-most members of the club, along with its teacher supervisor are here. Yet none of then so much as blinked an eye when you announced you were bunking on Tuesday... which is a _club_ day."

"She gave us chocolate!" chorused the 4 boys in reply, while Saitou merely took another drag. Hiko pierced the girl before him with a steely-eyed glare, which was completely wasted since she was quite adamantly focused on the patterns her trainers were scuffing into the sand. He hadn't missed the fact that the bags under her eyes he'd noticed over the past month were still there, and that however much she tried to cover it up, she tired easily. The fact she hadn't come up with a snappy comeback now was proof enough. He masked his concern as he sternly told her, "The tournament is coming up Makimachi. I don't need members who think they can skip out on practice whenever they want. Be there. And has Genzai-sensei given you a clean bill of health yet?"

She neatly sidestepped the question and focused on the earlier part of his speech.

"Demo Shishou… I visit my parents every year on Valentine's Day! It's my mothers' birthday!"

Hiko winced inwardly. He hadn't realised she was skipping to visit the graveyard. But rules were rules, and he couldn't break them for anyone… even if he _did_ have a soft spot for Makimachi. As he opened his mouth to speak again, Saitou's voice cut in. "Be back by club time Makimachi. Call if you need a lift."

"Hai Sensei!" Misao sent Saitou a grateful smile, knowing he understood. She glanced around, looking for the intended recipient of the last box she had in her bag. As she scanned the area, Hannya called to her.

"Misao… Your hair's beautiful. Why haven't you ever left it down before?"

Her head whipped around to stare at him in disbelief, and she was certain she was blushing so hard she was creating a new colour. "I let it down at night. During the day it's just a hassle…I can't leave it down during kempo can I?" Shikijo then asked, "Wouldn't it be useful in class? I'm pretty sure you could sleep behind all that and no one would even _notice_." Her head went down at that, and when she spoke, it was so soft they could hardly hear her.

"Tried that…Ikawa-sensei did catch me."

At that they all burst out laughing, and it was onto this scene that Aoshi appeared. He walked out of the dojo blindly, head down and rubbing at his hair with a towel. It was obvious he'd just walked out of the shower, and his unbuttoned shirt gaped open, giving Misao a glimpse of his lean, firmly muscled body. She couldn't see his face, but she didn't need to. It had haunted her dreams often enough.

Piercing green eyes, often half-hidden by soft bangs she ached to run her fingers through. His eyes were always so calm and cool, just hinting at the depths of emotion they concealed. Firm lips she'd seen curved in the rare half-smile she loved, infinitely precious to her. Every time she managed to pry that smile out of him she felt like she was on top of the world. A face so heart-stoppingly gorgeous his fan club members numbered in the hundreds.

His movements were sending his muscles rippling, and it was all Misao could do not to melt into a puddle right then and there. She managed to control herself quite well, only earning herself an amused look from Hiko, but she couldn't take her eyes off the gorgeous form of her childhood love. Typically, it was Beshimi who broke the spell.

"Aoshi! Valentines has come early this year!"

" _Don't_ ever tell me that."

The slight stiffening of Misao's posture would have been imperceptible to all but the most highly skilled observer. Needless to say, they _all_ noticed it. Aoshi's movements became rougher; a vehemence to his movements there hadn't been before.

"My _fan club_ president accosted me yesterday to give me strict  instructions that I should only accept chocolates from _registered_ members." Everyone flinched, knowing how well Aoshi took to instructions, especially when it concerned the fan club he detested. "Every year I have to accept chocolates out of obligation, so as not to hurt anyone's feelings. Don't these girls have anything better to do? Why can't-Misao…"

He'd straightened, allowing the towel to slip off his head. The torrent of words had stopped the moment he locked gazes with her, and the silence was deafening. Misao's face had paled visibly, and she was biting her lower lip hard enough to bruise. His eyes widened slightly as he took in her hair and outfit. If he'd ever doubted she was growing up, he definitely had proof otherwise now. The slim curves of her body were not ones belonging to a _child_.

"Misao. What brings you here?"

"N-n-nothing… I just- I just… Well would you look at the time! I'm late! See you all tomorrow!"

With that abrupt statement she turned tail and fled, leaving one startled and several highly amused men behind. As Aoshi's eyes swept over the group, taking in the boxes and chocolate, he sank to sit cross-legged on the floor, slinging the towel around his neck.

A moment's silence lapsed before he softly said, "I blew it, didn't I?"

As one, they nodded.


	2. Two Couples and a Warning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Someone else owns the characters, and it looks like the plot owns me.
> 
> Dedications: This is dedicated to Silver Miko and Shin Sankai. Without them, I wouldn't be half the AM fangirl I am now. This story is my
> 
> humble thanks.
> 
> Note:
> 
> I have to admit most characters are slightly OOC in this story, some more than others, (:cough: Hiko :cough:) but I wanted to see how I could place all of them in a modern setting and have them all interact. Plus, in this life, these people haven't gone through half the angst the manga plot put them through. I couldn't have Aoshi be a brooding, monosyllabic hulk when all his friends are alive and hearty could I? This is a common premise in my AU stories, so I thought to clarify it here. Thanks to all who took the time to point it out ) And, most importantly... I am first and foremost, a fluff lover.
> 
> On with the story!
> 
> denotes thoughts
> 
> denotes writing
> 
> -…-…-…- — change in scene and maybe character POV

It was Monday morning, and as usual Kaoru was waiting impatiently for Misao outside the door of her house, listening to the daily sounds of Misao rushing about getting everything ready. Surprisingly she only took 5 minutes rather than the usual 20, and they started down their normal route to school, joking about being early for once. They hadn't taken 10 steps before Misao handed Kaoru her chocolate, and was promptly enveloped in a bone-crushing hug worthy of Okina.

"THANK YOUUUUUU!"

"Kaoru… can't… breathe…"

"Whoops… Sorry about that. Anyway, thank you so much! I hope there's a box in there for Shinomori. You _have_ to tell him how you feel this year Misao! You've only been in love with him for, what now,... 13 years?"

Misao ducked her head, not really wanting to go into the events of the previous evening. All she knew was that she was now scared out of her mind that when she gave him chocolates he'd accept them out of _obligation_. That would be worse than him rejecting her outright. Quickly she turned the topic back on Kaoru, slowing her steps and giving her a considering look. "And what about you tanuki-chan? Are you _finally_ going to give Kenshin chocolates this year? It's your last chaaaaance…" sang out Misao.

As usual, Kaoru ducked her head and mumbled something that Misao, with the ease of long years of practice, correctly interpreted as a 'nobecausehedoesn'tlikemeandwhatifhestopstalkingtomeand'. Misao shook her head in resignation, now convinced her decision to take matters into her own hands was the right one.

" _Why_ not! Hell, I think the whole school knows you're in love with him! The only reason _he_ doesn't is because he wouldn't know gossip unless it came up and bit him on the behind! I'm pretty sure he likes you too. He certainly zoomed to the rescue when that crazy Yukishiro went absolutely ballistic in the cafeteria."

Kaoru shuddered at the mention of that name. It had only been 3 weeks ago that Enishi Yukishiro had snapped in the cafeteria and grabbed her, yelling something about his sister. He'd almost been out the door with her when Misao had yanked him back. She'd only managed to get in a couple of blows before Yukishiro had slammed her into a wall, his anger lending him almost superhuman strength. But those few seconds were enough for Kaoru's long-time crush, Kenshin Himura, to yank Kaoru out of Enishi's grasp and push her to safety. What had followed had been a vicious fight that hadn't stopped even when Saitou-sensei showed up. Ultimately Kenshin had managed to knock Yukishiro out, and he'd brushed off Kaoru's stammered thanks with his usual gentle smile.

"From the way you're blushing, I'll _bet_ you remember."

Kaoru flushed even harder at that, realizing her friend had caught her daydreaming. She wrinkled up her nose at Misao, refraining from pointing out that it had been none other than Aoshi Shinomori who'd carried Misao's unconscious form to the infirmary. He'd been hot on Kenshin's heels when they heard the commotion, and he'd stood guard over Misao during the fight while Hannya and Shikijo administered first aid. It had been quite sweet, watching Aoshi and his friends terrorise the school nurse with questions on Misao's condition for the hour she'd been out cold. But he'd made it quite clear he didn't want his role to be known, and though Kaoru didn't understand _why_ , she respected his wishes.

While Kaoru was lost in her own thoughts, Misao was quite anxiously glancing around. She'd _expected_ her friend to chicken out… So, now onto Plan B. If she'd timed their departure from her house just right, it should be right about now that… There he was!

"Tanuki-chan look! There's Himura-sempai now!" With that Misao dashed down the street to the redhead, leaving a shocked Kaoru behind.

"Himura-sempai! Wait up!"

Startled, he turned and narrowly managed to prevent her from slamming into him and sending them both flying. Cheerfully unconcerned, she allowed him to steady them both and handed him his present. "Here sempai! The first of your two Valentine's Day presents. Consider it a thank you for helping tanuki and all your guidance at the dojo." He took the package with a smile and a small bow, as unfailingly polite as always.

"Thank you Misao-dono. I should be the one thanking _you_. If you hadn't delayed him, I wouldn't have reached in time to help Kaoru-dono. I was unable to prevent Misao-dono from being hurt though. I'm sorry. You've recovered fully, I trust? As I recall, Shishou and Saitou-sensei still haven't let you back into full training."

She nodded emphatically, refraining from mentioning the sudden, splitting headaches she'd been getting from that day. She was still being handled like spun glass at the club, even by _Saitou_ of all people, and she didn't want to make it any worse.

_I think that the kuso oyaji and Hannya-sempai suspect something. They keep asking me if I'm fine_

By this time Kaoru had caught up with them, and apart from a timid "Good Morning sempai", was assiduously keeping her gaze on the ground. Thus, she missed the quick look Kenshin darted her. Misao however, didn't.

_Here goes nothing…_

"Sempai, remember when I said I had two presents for you?"

"Ye-es?"

"Here's the other one. Catch."

With that Misao shoved Kaoru straight into Kenshin's arms. Reflexively he caught her to him, his natural protective instincts overriding his shock. Kaoru on the other hand, was so stunned she didn't even make a move to break free. Misao immediately darted down the street, calling over her shoulder, "She's liked you for two years sempai! Go for it! I'll see you two in school!" There was no doubt in her mind about the outcome of her 'present', something that was proven when Kaoru walked into class later and punched her lightly on the shoulder. "You're an _idiot..._ Thanks." Misao grinned up at her, but just then Okuda-sensei walked in and class began.

During break, she shooed off Kaoru to find Kenshin, declaring that she still had presents to give out. She walked quickly down to the infirmary, knowing this week Megumi was filling in for the school nurse, who was off on vacation. She peeped in and saw Megumi sitting and flipping through a novel, a study in grace even at rest. Knocking softly, she walked over to the elegant girl who was one year her senior. The seventeen year old looked up, smiling at her juniors' approach.

"Misao-chan, what brings you here? How are you feeling? Still getting those headaches?"

Misao ducked her head, having hoped to avoid the question. She nodded reluctantly, but quickly pointed out she was holding up fine. She didn't quite feel like mentioning that they'd been increasing in number and severity, knowing she'd be scheduled for a hospital visit quicker than you could say Jiminy Cricket. Before her senior could question her further, she held out her present.

"Thank you! You didn't have to—"

"You're _welcome_ Meg-chan. Only open it at lunch and no sooner, okay? And in case you were wondering, I know for a fact that rooster-head is partial to milk chocolate with almonds." "Wha…Misao! I'm not making that idiot any!" "Mm-hmm… I'm _sure_."

Yelling a goodbye, she nimbly skipped out of the infirmary, having achieved her twin aims of passing across the information and diverting attention from her headaches. Before she'd taken another step Megumi's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Bring a clean change of clothes tomorrow. After club, you're going to see a doctor who specialises in head trauma if I have to _drag_ you."

Maybe not both aims.

"Haaai…"

Walking down the corridor she checked her watch, noting with relief she still had more than 20 minutes left to go till the end of her break. Quickly she made her way down to the most secluded spot in school, the patch of grass behind the equipment shed. As expected, she found a certain rooster-head lounging on his back in the grass, ever present toothpick in his mouth.

"Oi Rooster-head."

"Weasel girl? What's up?"

Seating herself down on the grass beside him, she slammed his present onto his stomach, making him grunt and sit up with a scowl. "Valentine's Day has come early this year rooster-boy. Savour it. **But** you can only open it during lunch." He ruffled her hair by way of thanks, earning himself a squeal of protest. They fell into their usual bickering with the ease of the long-time friends they were, casually throwing insults back and forth. He'd gotten to know her when she was a skinny ten year old to his eleven, and soon Misao, Kaoru, and he were fast friends. He was a regular at her restaurant, the Aoiya, and his tab was the stuff of legends. But he was almost family, so that made it okay.

He knew all about her crush on Shinomori, hell— _everyone_ knew…except perhaps Shinomori. The two of them had lived under the same roof for 10 years for God's sake… it's not like anyone was surprised. What _was_ surprising was the fact that nothing was happening yet. For all that Misao was a complete strike-out in her own love life, she'd been the first to realise that his constant bickering with Megumi disguised a much deeper attraction. She'd become his confidante and personal cheering squad, and if he hadn't  acted on all of that encouragement, it still helped to have someone who understood.

She was tired, he realised suddenly. He took a close look at her and noticed the dark circles and underlying fatigue that had her seniors worried, along with a couple of teachers who'd deny it to their last breath. Scowling, he realised it had all begun when Yukishiro attacked jou-chan. His scowl darkened further as something he'd been told earlier that day came to mind.

"Weasel, be careful aight? Yukishiro is attending counselling, but I heard he's been raving about how without your interference he'd have gotten jou-chan away before Kenshin showed up. And if he hears about your part in getting them together, he isn't going to be too happy with you—Kuso!" That last was barely a growl. "I just wish that I'd been there when the bastard dared touch the both of you!"

Now it was her turn to ruffle _his_ hair. The three of them usually ate lunch together, but it had just been their bad luck that the day Enishi snapped was the day Sano had chosen to skip school. It was amazing how many people felt guilty over something that wasn't their fault.

Sano felt guilty for skipping.

Kenshin felt guilty for letting her get hurt.

She _knew_ Aoshi felt guilt for not being there. He hadn't turned up at the Aoiya for a month.

And if Misao was being honest with herself, she'd have to admit that she felt guilt too. She felt guilty that she hadn't reacted fast enough to push Kaoru out of the way. She'd been training for years, dammit! And to be knocked unconscious by an opponent using only one hand… that had been a bruise her ego still hadn't recovered from. She disregarded all talk of how the others had trained more intensively and how she had only been training for a couple of years. She hadn't been able to protect her friend.

She knew Kaoru had faced nightmares for a few nights. And if she'd only trained harder at her peripheral awareness she'd have been able to… _That_ was why she refused to complain about the headaches. If she'd worked harder she wouldn't have them. Twisted logic to be sure, but at the moment Misao wasn't exactly in the most rational frame of mind.

"Yo weasel. Don't space out on me like that. Don't worry about it. Kenshin, Aoshi n I won't let the bastard get within two feet of you girls."

_Hell, Aoshi might even kill him if he tries anything_

The entire week after the attack Aoshi hadn't let Misao out of his sight, something no one else but Kenshin and Sano had noticed. Somehow wherever Misao happened to be, so did Shinomori and his pals. Misao however, winced at the mention of Aoshi, not as certain of protection from that corner as Sano was. He'd seemed so remote in the days since the attack. Hell, he'd been avoiding her so much her brain had even resorted to dreaming of him, a lovely dream in which he was carrying her and stroking her hair gently.

She glanced at her watch and jumped up, realising break was almost over. She yanked him to his feet, knowing that if she left him there, he'd probably miss the next class with joy. They made their way to the main building and parted in the hallway, she reminding him of his promise only to open the package during lunch.

-…-…-…-

The lunch bell was about to ring, and true to his word Sano was waiting for it.

Barely.

His eyes had been firmly fixed on the clock for the last five minutes, and the moment the bell rung he reached into his bag for the chocolate. Almost before everyone had left the classroom he was ripping joyfully into the wrapping, looking forward to the candy. She'd given him chocolates the year before as well, and it had been good. Flipping up the lid he saw a smaller packet inside with Megumi's name written on it

_The weasel must have mixed up our chocolates. How many people does she give chocolates to anyway?_

He looked around quickly, but she'd already left the class. With a mournful sigh, he got up to make his way down to the infirmary. He wanted his chocolate. And if it was surprising he knew exactly how Megumi usually spent her day, no one was around to comment on it.

-…-…-…-

Meanwhile, in the infirmary, Megumi carefully unwrapped the present, making sure not to tear the gaily patterned paper. Setting the intact wrapper aside, she flipped up the lid and blanched when she saw Sanosuke's name.

_That rooster? Misao-chan must have mixed up the presents. He should be in the cafeteria now with Kaoru and her._

If it was odd she knew where and with whom Sanosuke spent his lunch break, she refused to dwell on it. Before she could turn to leave there was a sharp rap on the door, and Sano stepped in. Closing the door softly behind him, he walked over to her, present in hand.

"I believe you have my property, kitsune."

"And I believe you have mine tori-atama. Hand mine over _first_. I don't trust you not to make a break for it with _both_ chocolates in hand."

He grinned, not bothering to deny the truth of the remark, and handed her box over. She gasped at its mangled condition. "You ripped up the paper! And it's dented! How could you do so much damage just by opening it roosterhead?"

"In case it's slipped your notice, I'm _male_. You can have the other box and paper if you like. Now hand over my chocolate."

She didn't mention that she _definitely_ knew he was male. No girl could make her heart beat faster the way his presence did. Arching an eyebrow at his unexpected amiability, she took his packet out of the box on the table. Before she could hand it over, she noticed Misao had scrawled a note under the packet.

**Tell Sano you like him, Meg-chan, before I do. You won't be disappointed**

She tried to flip the lid down but his sharp eyes had seen the writing. Correctly assuming the note was about him, he grabbed it. She tried to get it back but he easily caught both her hands in one of his while he scanned the note, a look of shock appearing on his face. She wrenched her hands free and took the other box he'd set on the table, intent on getting her chocolate and making him leave.

_I'm going to wring Misao's neck_ _when I see her next. How dare she—_

Her murderous train of thought abruptly stopped when she saw the note Misao had written in _his_ box.

**Oi rooster. Quit insulting Megumi and tell her how you feel! I'm tired of hearing you go on and on about how she'll never like you back**

The few seconds it had taken her to read the note hadn't been sufficient for Sano to recover from his shock. When she turned back to him he was still staring at the note, apparently unable to take in what Misao had written.

"Sa…Sano? You _like_ me?"

She was stunned to see a flush darken his cheeks before he snapped out of his shock and grabbed the box she was holding, quickly reading the note. If anything his flush darkened, but he held his ground. "What about you Megitsune? Is what Misao said true? Do you really not think I'm _completely_ hopeless?"

She smiled at that, ducking her head to hide her own flushed cheeks. She'd thought that Misao was lying, or simply assuming things. But upon seeing his reaction… she could believe it.

Sagara Sanosuke _never_ blushed.

"Yeah. Not _completely_."

His hands tipped up her chin, forcing her to look into his Eyes. "Will you be mine kitsune? Think carefully before you answer, because I've waited too long for this." "Yes. I—" She was crushed to him in a sudden embrace, his face buried in her hair, inhaling her scent. Once she got over her initial surprise she responded, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck and hold him to her. When he felt her lips brush his cheek he shuddered…He was a normal, healthy male, with normal, healthy desires…And to finally have his fox in his arms was testing his control to the utmost. Drawing back slightly he looked down at her, taking in the sight of her in his arms. "You're _mine_ now, Megitsune. I now have the right to kill any man who so much as touches you." She smiled at that, now knowing the rough words hid much deeper feelings. "And you belong to _me_ rooster. I now have the right to scratch out Miwa-san's eyes if she gives you any more of those come hither looks." He grinned at that, pleased that she'd noticed. Then his expression turned serious.

"You were always the only one I saw."

Her answering smile was covered by his lips. The kiss started out slow, more a melding of lips than anything. Then as long-repressed feelings took over, he took it deeper, drowning himself in her taste, in her feel. Her hands wove into his hair, nails lightly scoring his scalp as she lost herself in him. Soon he had her backed against the wall, aligning their bodies so that they were joined from hip to chest in delicious friction. Hands wandered, discovering the feel of each others' bodies, and the silky smooth glide of clothes against skin. When he found himself growling into her mouth, hands already sliding up her shirt, he knew he had to pull back before he had her stretched out beneath him on the infirmary bed.

Slowly he drew back, loving the fact she seemed as dazed as he was. It was taking all of his self control not to pull her back into another kiss, especially when she looked up at him like that, eyes blurry with passion and mouth slightly puffy from his kisses. He settled for trailing kisses down her neck, nipping lightly at the delicate skin and soothing the small hurt with his tongue. He couldn't get enough of her.

Megumi, on the other hand, couldn't believe she was allowing this, letting him kiss her senseless in the infirmary where anyone could walk in on them. The thought of that jolted her out of her daze and she gently pulled away, one hand cradling his cheek to soften her actions. She could barely breathe, mind still whirling at the tumult of sensations he'd roused in her. It was some comfort that his breathing was equally uneven, chest heaving in short hard pants. He eyed her quizzically, not understanding the reason for her withdrawal. Shyly, she walked over to lock the infirmary door, knowing she'd hear if anyone knocked.

When she turned, his cocky smirk had her flushing beet-red, knowing full well the kind of thoughts that were rushing through his head. Probably because they were the same kind of thoughts she was having now. But it _had_ been a bit fast. "There's almost 40 minutes left of lunch break…" He reached out to her but she stopped him gently, catching his hands in her own. "It went a bit fast just now…but I trust you won't go too far this soon." His gentle smile was all the reassurance she needed, and she stepped into his arms joyfully.

"Remind me to get the weasel something good this year for White Day."

Any reply she may have made was swallowed by his mouth.

-…-…-…-

Half an hour later they were walking back to class, having finally managed to control themselves. They weren't holding hands or showing any outward signs of affection, but the moment Misao saw them, she _knew_ they were together. Her happy shrieks had to be forcefully smothered by Sano before she finally calmed down enough that he could remove his hand from her mouth. She hugged Megumi happily, elated at her success.

"Awesome! This is _so_ cool! Two couples in a day! Just call me Cupid"

"Oi Misao, I think Cupid actually _had_ a love life. Two? Who's the other— oh…"

Before Sano could complete his question he'd caught sight of Kenshin and Kaoru walking down the corridor towards them, hand in hand. Kaoru smiled resignedly at the sight of them, realising Misao must have put in a lot of work for one day. But then again, hadn't the four of them only needed a little nudge? Remembering the events of the morning, she laughed inwardly. In her and Kenshin's case all that'd been needed was a good hard shove. Now the only one unattached was Misao…She shuddered at the thought of _nudging_ Aoshi. Whoever did that was going to be made of sterner stuff than she was.

Maybe they could get his gang of friends in on the action. Hannya-sempai certainly loved Misao like a baby sister. They'd hit it off famously ever since Aoshi had introduced them, years ago. Heck, even Shik— her inner musings were interrupted by Kenshin squeezing her fingers lightly, alerting her to the fact they now stood before the others. Misao was practically dancing in place, her exuberant nature causing the other two no little embarrassment.

'Weasel, will you _quit_ singing! It's giving me a headache, and I don't want it to rain anytime soon. Shishou's ordered me down to the dojo for training, and I wouldn't put it past him to make me train in the rain to 'build character'." Given that Misao had been singing a certain famous rhyme about trees and kissing ever since she'd noticed the mark Sano had left on Megumi's neck, his ire was quite understandable to the rest. Misao laughed at the mention of Hiko's obsession with instilling 'character' on his students, using means which frequently involved intense physical exertion… like hoeing his garden, or cleaning out his pottery furnace.

Megumi was also quite flustered, seeing as how she never knew she had a tendency to … 'bruise' … so easily.

_But it felt so good when he… Bad thoughts Megumi, bad thoughts!_ Slapping herself mentally, she smartly turned the tables on Misao. "Ne Misao-chan…What about _your_ love life? Have you met Aoshi yet?" She had the pleasure of seeing Misao flush in response, indicating the answer was a 'no'. She was about to query further when Hannya walked up to them, postponing the interrogation… or so she thought.

"Misao, when will you give Aoshi _his_ chocolate? Lunch break is almost over now…"

Nope, apparently he was there to join it. Ah well, the more the merrier. Nodding, Megumi continued. "After all you've done today, shouldn't you start focusing on your _own_ love? Wait outside his class after the final bell rings. Tanuki, you'll be there to give her moral support, won't you?"

"Ah, gomen Misao-chan! I forgot to tell you, Yahiko needs me to pick up his pictures from the shop! I'll have to run off straight after class as they're closing early today!" Misao only mumbled under her breath in response, desperately searching for a way to change the topic. It was bad enough when Megumi was needling her, but now Hannya-sempai had joined the party! Did _everyone_ know she was hopelessly in love with Aoshi! Kenshin inadvertently saved her by remarking that he'd also have to leave immediately after class ended. Apparently Enishi's psychiatrist wanted to meet him. This immediately reminded Sano about what they'd been discussing earlier.

"Remember what I told you weasel…Watch yourself around Yukishiro. He's really got it in for you now." They didn't notice Hannya's gaze sharpen at this, or the way he casually moved over to the window, placing himself nearer Misao. Kenshin frowned lightly, adding that Enishi was extremely emotionally volatile. Misao and he exchanged a long look, both of them knowing full well what had caused that volatility. Before they could continue the conversation the bell rang, precluding any chance of further talk.

Ruffling Misao's hair lightly, Hannya slung a brotherly arm around her shoulders, steering her in the direction of her class. "C'mon Misao, I'll walk you to your class. Let's give the lovebirds some privacy." Laughing, she walked beside him, unaware of the tall figure standing beyond the bend of the corridor. He'd heard every word of the conversation, and his jaw was clenched tightly at the thought of anyone harming her. It was probably a good thing no one was passing him at that time, or the entire school would have heard about how scary Shinomori-sempai could be when given the chance.

-…-…-…-


	3. And We All Fall Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Someone else owns the characters, and it looks like the plot owns me.
> 
> Dedications: This is dedicated to Silver Miko and Shin Sankai. Without them, I wouldn't be half the AM fangirl I am now. This story is my
> 
> humble thanks.
> 
> Note: :denotes thoughts:
> 
> denotes writing
> 
> -…-…-…- — change in scene and maybe character POV

Misao walked out of the school gates dejectedly, mind less on the streets ahead and more on the two presents still in her bag. One of the recipients had clearly stated he didn't want chocolate, and the other… Lost in her own thoughts, she automatically took a left into a side street, setting her feet on the long way home. This was the route that took her through quiet lanes and a few sedate housing estates. She often walked this way when she had things to think about, the peaceful surroundings and added walking giving her the time and focus to clear her head. It was a good choice in times like this when she was troubled.

It was _not_ such a good choice when you'd been warned a psycho intended to go medieval on your ass.

She was walking down a deserted back lane when she heard a cold voice call out to her.

"Makimachi."

Her head snapped up so fast she was surprised she didn't give herself whiplash. He stood far down the lane in front of her, white hair dishevelled and eyes blazing. Enishi Yukishiro was _not_ a happy camper.

"Makimachi, do you always travel with bodyguards? Not that they're going to do you any good…"

_:Bodyguards:_

The soft sounds of footsteps behind her sent her whirling, and her eyes widened when she saw Aoshi, Hannya, and Shikijo walking down the lane to her.

"Aoshi-sama!"

He hadn't made a sound, but the weeks of training finally paid off, and she sensed Enishi darting for her. Milliseconds before he caught her she'd dashed for the trio, almost falling into Aoshi's arms. They tightened about her briefly in a light embrace, before he gently pushed her to stand behind him, flanked by Hannya and Shikijo. When he spoke, his voice was hard and cold.

"She hasn't done anything to you Yukishiro. If anything, you should be on your knees apologising to _her_ for hurting her."

"If the stupid girl hadn't been there, Kamiya and I would have been long gone before Himura showed up!"

"Gone to do _what_ Yukishiro? What the hell do you have against Kamiya anyway!"

"It isn't _her_ you idiots…It's Himura. Your precious little Kenshin isn't as perfect as you think he is! Because of him my sister _died_! I've seen the way he looks at Kamiya. He shouldn't have any happiness in his life! Not when he took away all of _mine_!"

Aoshi opened his mouth to answer, knowing Kenshin still carried a huge burden of guilt on his shoulders. He hadn't known Enishi was the brother of the girl who'd died protecting Kenshin, but it explained a lot. Before he could say anything though, a soft voice from behind stopped him.

"Enishi."

His fiery gaze bore into hers, almost making her flinch with the force of his hatred. "Don't call me that! Only _she_ has the right to call me that! Not any of you bastards!"

Misao stepped forward to stand beside Aoshi, clutching her bag like it was a lifeline. She could feel the twinges of pain at her temples that signalled the coming of another headache, but resolutely she ignored it. This was more important. She knew he was unstable, but she owed it to Tomoe to speak.

She owed it to Enishi.

"I knew your sister. I knew Tomoe."

His head moved back like he'd been struck. Whatever he'd expected her to say, it hadn't been _that_.

" A pen-pal program was started in my elementary school. 'Troublemaking' students were matched with junior high schoolers from schools in other towns, under a sort of guidance scheme. The idea was that the distance and the anonymity would make it easier for us to confide our troubles. As you might have guessed, I was a troublemaker."

Her three club seniors smirked at that, remembering the fights she'd pick with anyone and everyone. And the fact she was the only one who had ever driven Hiko to duct-tape a person's mouth shut. Namely, her mouth. A troublemaker? No, really?

"I was matched with your sister. We exchanged letters from the time I was 10, up until the week she was killed."

He could see recognition dawn in his eyes. Tomoe and her had written at least two letters a week for over four years. It wasn't something her younger brother wouldn't notice.

"So you're _that_ Misao."

"Mm-hmm… Last names weren't allowed, so I didn't know you were _that_ Enishi. If I'd known, I'd have spoken to you sooner. She spoke of you often."

His gaze, which had been softening, hardened once more, and his angry ki radiated out in waves. "Who told you? That fucker Himura must have been the one. What did he say? That he wasn't at fault! When I get my hands on him I'll—"

"He asked me to forgive you."

That halted the flood of angry words.

"He visited me in the infirmary. He said you were distraught, and put the blame solely on himself. He—"

"He fucking _should_ be guilty! The bastard—"

"Tomoe told me otherwise."

She moved to stand right before the stunned young man, but Aoshi's hand on her shoulder stopped her. She looked up into the set face of her senior, reading the concern in his green eyes as clear as day. Placing her hand over his, she smiled.

"It's alright Aoshi-sama. Tomoe told me her brother would never harm a girl."

His hand slipped from her shoulder, but she could sense his ready stance. She didn't have to turn to see that the other two were also prepared to move quickly if necessary. Their concern warmed her, and gave her strength. Standing before Enishi, she spoke once more.

"She told me everything that was happening in her life Enishi, things that she couldn't tell her beloved younger brother. She didn't want you involved in the slightest with the gang. I probably know more than you do about what actually happened." She reached into her bag and took out a large envelope, which had his name written across the front.

"Here are copies of our letters for that last six months. I think…I think you'll understand much more after you read them."

Hesitantly he took the envelope, still stunned by the sudden turn of events. Of all people, he hadn't expected the loud, hyperactive girl before him to have been the confidante his sister had relied upon so much. Her earnestness convinced him she was speaking the truth. She swayed slightly, and his gaze sharpened. Why was she suddenly so pale?

"Enishi, you can't be so angry at Himura. Please read the letters… Whenever she spoke of you, it was with love. She said you were at your best with a smile… _ow_..."

They all looked sharp at that. Her voice had weakened considerably at the last words, and that sudden gasp of pain was jarring. She had a hand up, weakly massaging her temples.

"Oi, Makimachi." "Misao."

She waved them off, valiantly reaching into her bag to bring out a small box, this one simply wrapped in light blue paper.

"Tomoe said you loved unsweetened milk chocolate, and that this was your favourite colour. Shit, that _hurts …_"

At the last word she stumbled, and Enishi caught her, holding her limp body up.

"Oh God, my _head_ …" Suddenly Aoshi was there, swinging her up into his arms and barking out orders. "My place is closest, I'll take her there. Hannya, go and get Genzai-sensei. Shikijo, get Hiko to the apartment, and swing by the Aoiya on your way there. Yukishiro, grab her bag and come with me."

With that the group split, Hannya and Shikijo running off, while Aoshi and Enishi set off at a brisk pace, he being careful not to jar the limp girl in his arms. Darting a quick glance at the ashen-faced girl, Enishi asked, "Shinomori, what happened? Shouldn't we take her to the hospital?"

"I'll let Genzai-sensei decide. All I know is that she'd get worse if she woke up in a hospital, unprepared. She's hated them ever since her parents died. She's been getting these headaches since the day _you_ slammed her into a wall, and the tests they ran then and a week later turned up negative. I think she's been running herself ragged, and she still hasn't gotten over not being able to stop you from grabbing Kaoru."

Enishi fell silent at that, and Misao stirred weakly, burrowing closer to the warmth of Aoshi's body. He adjusted her so that her head was comfortably nestled into the crook of his shoulder, and kept talking. " _Don't_ pull the guilt line on me now Yukishiro. Misao would be upset, and then you'd have a _whole_ lot of people on your back."

"I can see that. You'd be leading the pack, wouldn't you Shinomori?"

"Don't push it…I'm _this_ close."

-…-…-…-

Aoshi stopped in front of an elegant apartment building, nodding at the startled doorman before making his way over to the elevator.

"Shall I call a doctor Shinomori-san?"

"Genzai-sensei is on his way already. Thank you."

They stepped into the lift, Aoshi telling Enishi to hit the button for the fifth floor. Throughout the journey Misao had been quiet, hovering on the edges of unconsciousness, but she began to rouse. Wincing slightly, she glanced around. "Aoshi-sama? The hospital? No, I…" "Shh… Not the hospital. We're at my apartment. How's the pain? Any better?"

She started to nod, but thought better of it and answered verbally instead, before closing her eyes. The elevator stopped, and they stepped out into a long corridor lit with soft mellow light. Enishi looked about at the tastefully decorated surroundings with interest, never having been in the building before. Somehow he'd had the impression Shinomori lived with Misao.

"Nice place Shinomori. How many in the apartment?"

"I live alone. The keys are in the front compartment of my bag."

All that was written on the nameplate of the door was Shinomori. Enishi deftly unlocked the door and stepped in, holding it wide open for Aoshi to come through. The apartment was as elegant as the rest of the building, decorated in strong, cool tones. Before he could look around further, Aoshi headed straight for his room, nudging the door open with his foot.

He laid Misao down on the huge double bed, moving to its foot to take off her shoes. She must have been jarred by the change in position, as she opened her eyes wearily. Aoshi sat on the bed beside her, checking her forehead for fever. There wasn't any, but he didn't move to take his hand from her face, cupping her cheek and stroking her soft skin with his thumb.

"Yukishiro, could you bring her some cold water? The kitchen is just down the hall."

"Got it."

Misao looked up at him silently, wondering what he was thinking. Ever since he'd moved out of the Aoiya 2 years ago, he'd been slightly distant, always there but somehow unapproachable. She'd asked Hannya and Okina about it, not understanding the reasons behind his attitude or the move, but they'd reassured her it wasn't her fault in any way. In fact, they'd almost seemed amused. She still didn't understand why they'd been following her back from school. His hand on her cheek was blessedly cool, and she turned her face into it, liking the sensation. Unwillingly one corner of his mouth quirked up in a half-smile. She looked like a kitten with huge eyes and a fondness for petting.

"Aoshi-sama, could you call Jiya? He must be worried because I'm not back yet."

He nodded reassuringly, telling her Shikijo would have already reached there, but he'd call anyway. As he reached for the bedside phone and dialled the number from memory, he asked her how she was feeling.

"The pain's gone down a lot, but I'm _really_ tired…I don't understand. I've never had a headache as bad as this one."

"You overstrained yourself. Didn't Shishou…Hello, Okina? Yes she's fine. You're on your way?—"

He got up and moved out of the room, preventing her from hearing the rest of the conversation. Enishi took his place, setting the glass of water down on the table and carefully helping Misao sit up. He could see she was still in pain, but she wasn't the ghastly pallor she had been ten minutes ago. While she was drinking he looked around the large bedroom, curious about his aloof senior. His sharp eyes saw the photos scattered about the room, some with people he didn't know in them, but most with Misao present one way or another. He saw the two pictures placed on the table right beside the bed, which Misao hadn't noticed yet. One was of a much younger Misao and Aoshi, sitting together under a cherry tree. She was hugging him tightly, and surprisingly he was returning the embrace, a small smile on his face that Enishi had never seen before.

Tellingly the next photo was also of both of them. It was a recent picture, at what he recognised had been this year's school ball. She was dressed up in a white sheath dress that fell about her nicely, making her look much more grown up, and Aoshi was dignified in a sober black suit. It was definitely a candid shot, as both of them seemed unaware that they had been captured on film. The picture had been taken during the one dance they had shared, Aoshi not being one for dancing in public. She was speaking to him earnestly, looking up at him with an endearingly serious face. He in return was listening intently, the same small smile that only appeared around her on his face.

By this time she had finished drinking, and handed the glass back to him. Leaning back against the pillows, she sighed. She'd never felt this tired in her life.

"Did he really ask you to forgive me?"

"It's the truth… He said she was both a mother and a sister to you, and that losing her must have been devastating."

He shut his eyes at that, still able to see Tomoe take the bullet meant for Kenshin, the blood that had been on his hands as he frantically tried to stop up the wounds. Strangely enough, now he was also able to remember the absolute horror on Kenshin's face, the blind rage Kenshin had been in as he defeated the remaining gang members. He opened his eyes in surprise when Misao flicked his nose lightly.

"She was losing faith in the gang Enishi. She no longer believed that Kenshin was the traitor they had made him out to be, and she hated the fact that she was the one who'd been assigned to lure him into a trap. When push came to shove, she couldn't sit back and let him be killed…I know her well enough to know that her only regret would be that she had to leave you to save him…"

"Why? Why'd she have to leave me?"

Misao bit her lip at that, able to hear the pain and anguish in his voice that his sister had chosen another's life over being with him. He would only have been fifteen when it happened, too young to deal with being left alone. But... it hadn't been a choice.

"She was not the type of person who would have let an innocent man die. If it had been any other person there, who did not deserve to die, she would have done exactly the same thing. She didn't choose Kenshin over you Enishi. She merely did what she thought was right. I don't think anything else was going through her head, certainly not that she would die."

When he turned his head away she caught his face gently, pulling him back to look at her.

"Read the letters Enishi. Tell me what you think then. And also…I know that Kenshin still hasn't forgiven himself for not being able to push her out of harms way. He has to live with that guilt every day."

There was really nothing he could say to that, so he remained silent. _First_ he'd read the letters…then he'd see about Kenshin. Aoshi came back in the room and looked pointedly at Enishi. "Kenshin, Sano and the rest are on their way, so you'd better leave now Yukishiro. I'll have no fights in front of Misao."

Nodding, Enishi rose. At the doorway he stopped for a second, seeming to be weighing something in his mind. Without turning he spoke softly, "Thank you…for the chocolate." Then he left.

At the mention of chocolate, Aoshi frowned fleetingly. He helped her lie back down, noting that her colour was back and it looked like the pain was completely gone. He covered her with a blanket and sat back down, making her look up at him curiously.

"As I was saying, you overstrained yourself. You've been building up stress for the past three weeks, probably about giving Yukishiro the letters. Am I right?" Wincing inwardly, she nodded. She _had_ been worrying about getting them to him and how he'd react. Thankfully _that_ was over. Aoshi wasn't finished yet though. "So much for Kenshin feeling guilty, _you're_ still feeling guilty over Kaoru aren't you?"

"But if I'd…"

The look he gave her silenced her protest _quite_ effectively. "You've been picking up kempo as fast as Shishou can teach you. No one blames you, least of all Kaoru. And speaking of chocolates, you've probably been up for the past two nights _making_ them. Then Yukishiro showed up and only made things worse."

She flushed, not wanting to admit that much of the first night had been spent agonising over _his_ chocolate… then most of the second spent crying over his remarks. But it did explain why today's headache had been much more sudden and vicious than any of the others. She looked at him and almost gasped. There was a very slight tinge of colour over his cheekbones, one that became more pronounced when he noticed her staring. It was gone in a second, but she was sure she'd seen it.

"Misao, everyone got chocolates. Hell, even Yukishiro got some… But…"

Her eyes widened and she quickly looked down at her hands, unable to believe what she was hearing. It sounded like Aoshi Shinomori, the boy nicknamed the _'icicle_ 'for his emotionless behaviour, was asking her why he hadn't gotten any chocolate. When she looked up, his gaze was firmly fixed on hers, awaiting her reply.

"A-Aoshi-sama… I—"

"Misao-chan!"

Aoshi bit back a curse as Kaoru dashed into the room, stopping Misao from answering. Shortly behind her came Kenshin, Megumi. Hannya and Dr. Genzai. He'd been so focused on Misao he hadn't even heard them enter the apartment. He stood up, his usual dispassionate mask on, but he knew he'd been caught out when Hannya openly smirked and Kenshin arched an eyebrow. Only the two of them could sense that his ki was chaotic. The look which had been so effective on Misao only served to make them more amused, and not for the first time he wondered how he'd ended up with them as friends.

Megumi hustled all the boys out as Dr Genzai bent to begin his check-up. They had just seated themselves in the hall when the door opened and the rest came in. The only ones missing were Shikijo and Okina, who Beshimi said were on their way.

"Where's that bastard Yukishiro?"

"Cool it Sano, and sit down. He's left already, and he did help me get her here."

Hiko ignored him, usual scowl on his face while he did a quick scan of the room. Aoshi caught him at it and smirked. Hiko would never admit it, but everyone in the room knew he'd been worried about the 'damn brat' for the past three weeks.

"She's in the bedroom Shishou. Dr Genzai, Megumi and Kaoru are with her."

"Hmph. She alright?"

Surprisingly this question had come from Saitou. When they all stared, he simply shrugged. "Tokio will want to know."

_:Yeah…And the Nile is a river in Egypt:_

Aoshi filled them in on what had happened, from Enishi confronting her to Misao collapsing in front of him. Hiko was about to speak when the door opened and Shikijo and Okina walked in. Okina was almost frantic with worry, remembering how frail Misao's mother had been before her. It took a further 10 minutes to calm him down, and soon they were all discussing what was to be done with Enishi. What Beshimi proposed turned out to be the best plan in the end. He'd have to go for more intensive counselling, and attend the dojo regularly. They hoped the professional help and enforced contact with Kenshin would have some effect. There was also the added benefit of being able to keep a close eye on him.

Just as they finished, the bedroom door opened and Dr Genzai came out. It went a long way to reassuring them that they heard Misao giggling from behind the half-open door. He agreed with what Aoshi said, but wanted her to go to a specialist just to be sure. He'd set up an appointment for the following day. They grilled him for a short while more, and he answered them calmly. Once he'd reassured them, he left to go back to his clinic.

They filed into the bedroom where they found a tired, but happy Misao. Her exuberant greetings showed she was quite fine, but her fatigue was plain to see. The boys were soon ribbing her about collapsing into Enishi's arms, while Aoshi ignored all the pointed looks everyone gave him upon seeing Misao's pictures by his bed. They stayed inside for a few minutes before Hiko ordered them out, noticing she was beginning to wear.

"Hang on Shishou. I was hoping you'd check her 'chi' flow. She doesn't seem to have been sleeping properly, and that could slow her recovery…"

Misao was quite startled at the words coming out of Aoshi's mouth, as she didn't remember mentioning to anyone about how long it took her to fall asleep each night. Hiko scowled down at her, making her laugh.

"Damn brat. Didn't I ask you at least a hundred times if you were fine? How're you going to enter the tournament now?"

"Sano came in with a _broken arm_ and you made him train. What was I suppose to say, 'I have a headache?' "

He grunted in response and sat down, instructing her to lie flat and breathe evenly. His hands were gentle as they skated over her body, feeling the flow of her natural energy. He only frowned slightly a few times, pressing down at some points that made her gasp quietly. Finally he stood up, finished.

"Nothing much was wrong that wouldn't have evened out as your stress decreased. But you should already be feeling better."

She nodded happily, the heaviness at the base of her skull gone. When he turned to leave she called him back, motioning for him to bend down so she could whisper in his ear. "Eat lunch at the Aoiya tomorrow, okay?" His mouth quirked at that. If he guessed correctly, Misao was trying to do a little more matchmaking. He'd already heard _all_ about Kenshin and Sanosuke.

_:I wonder if it's Okon…:_

With that thought in mind he nodded and left, warning her that if he heard about any more problems she'd be in more trouble than she'd been in this whole month. The only ones left in the room now were Aoshi and Okina, and they watched as the mild sedative Dr Genzai had given her took effect. Shortly she was asleep. Okina watched silently as Aoshi carefully covered the sleeping girl, gently brushing her bangs out of her face. When the younger man turned, Okina raised his eyebrows pointedly.

"You haven't been to the Aoiya in almost a month Aoshi—Okon is starting to think her cooking is bad."

Aoshi couldn't say anything to that, knowing he hadn't been able to fool anyone. They all knew he'd been feeling guilty, which wasn't surprising as they'd known him from childhood. He'd lived at the Aoiya since he was five, after the untimely death of his parents, who'd been close friends of the Makimachi's. They'd entrusted his care to them, and the Makimachi's had fulfilled their responsibilities admirably… He'd moved out to this apartment when he was sixteen, using the money his parents had left him. There was enough to let him live comfortably for a good while, as Okina had made sure their company was run well, and refused to touch so much as a penny of the money.

"I'll come after I take Misao to the graveyard tomorrow…We'll have lunch before we go to the doctor." Okina smirked and clapped him on the back, loudly proclaiming, "I _knew_ you were a smart one Aoshi, always knew…."

-…-…-…-

In the hall, Okina sat down beside Hyottoko, having gotten well acquainted with all of those present through both Aoshi and Misao.

"You _do_ know that the brat will _insist_ on going to the graveyard tomorrow."

Okina nodded ruefully at Saitou's flat statement. They all knew no power on earth could stop Misao from going to visit her parents.

"I'll be going with her, so I'll miss school and club tomorrow."

Saitou and Hiko didn't protest, only nodded. It didn't come as a surprise to any of them. It was common knowledge that the only one who could melt the icicle was Misao. Now all Misao had to do was realise it. Casually Sanosuke turned to Hannya, so casually that Aoshi _knew_ something was up.

"Say, did anyone count the pictures Iceman here has in this place? Quite a lot, ne?"

"Why yes Sano, I did notice that. Who knew he had a softer, more emotional side?"

Since Hannya, Beshimi, and Shikijo could frequently be found bumming at Aoshi's place, and knew all about the pictures, Aoshi felt that comment was quite unnecessary. Before he could do anything more than give him a hard stare, _Kaoru_ joined in on the teasing. "Ah, yes sempai… Very true. But did anyone count how many pictures had _Misao_ featured prominently in them?" "And did anyone notice the two simply _adorable_ pictures he had by the bed? I thought she looked lovely there!" Aoshi turned the glower on Megumi, who was enjoying herself too much to be fazed.

Soon they were all getting in on it, with even Saitou dropping the remark that 'weasels and icicles were an odd couple'. Before they could embarrass him further, Okina took pity on him and stood up to leave, declaring that the rest of the Aoiya crew would want to know how Misao was. This was taken as a signal for the rest, and by mutual agreement, they all rose, making Aoshi promise to call if anything happened.

"I'll send Omasu over with a change of clothes for Misao. I'd rather she not be moved tonight. Is it alright with you Aoshi?"

"It's fine. I'll make sure she rests."

Hannya broke in at this point. "Tell Omasu to pack a bag and I'll come over in about an hour. There's no need for her to be walking alone." Shikijo, Beshimi, and Hyottoko grinned. It seemed that Hannya was taking Misao's slip of the tongue to heart.

-…-…-…-


	4. Chocolates, anyone?

She woke up hours later to a darkened room, feeling much more refreshed after her first peaceful sleep in weeks. Checking her watch she realised it was almost eleven at night.

_:How long have I been—Ick, I'm still in my school uniform:_

There was a soft knock, and Aoshi pushed the door open, having felt the spike of her ki. He'd been half-asleep on the couch in the living room, ready to get up at the slightest problem. She had to bite back a gasp of delight as he walked towards her, not having seen him dressed so casually since he'd moved out. He wore black drawstring pants, and a faded navy blue shirt she recognised as having bought for him years ago. He'd left the top few buttons undone, showing her the tanned column of his throat. His hair was mussed and his eyes slightly cloudy, indicating he'd just woken up.

She thought he looked _edible_.

Congratulating herself on not drooling, she shifted slightly as he walked over, making room on the bed for him to sit down.

"How do you feel now? You've slept for over five hours." " _Much_ better… The headache's gone now!" His expression didn't so much as flicker, but she knew he was glad from his eyes. He reached out to smooth down her braid, deciding not to point out that her school shirt had ridden up, giving him a glimpse of her stomach. "Good. Do you feel well enough to get up? Omasu packed you some clothes so you can wash up. Unless you'd rather not…"

"Heck, no!"

With that vehement answer he rose and helped her out of bed, steadying her gently as she swayed on her feet. At that point if anyone had asked, Misao wouldn't have been able to say if her swaying was due to the lingering effects of her headache or because he was standing so near, so near that she could smell the clean, musky scent of his skin. She preferred that smell to any expensive cologne, as familiar with it as she was with the smell of the green tea he drank every morning. She'd grown up with little bits of him ingrained into her soul, like the sound of his voice as he calmed her during a storm, or the smell of him surrounding her when she slept in his arms. But now her feelings were not just that of a child's, and she'd never felt this reaction to his nearness when younger.

He pointed to a small suitcase on a table in the corner of the room, telling her it contained her clothes. She thanked him and watched as he left, closing the door softly behind him. Sighing in anticipation of a hot shower, she made a beeline for the bag, quickly opening it and rummaging through its contents. Suddenly she let out a soft cry of dismay.

This was a disaster!

-…-…-…-

He looked up as a small head peeped out at him from the doorway.

"Aoshi-sama? Omasu packed everything _but_ a nightshirt. Could I—could I please borrow one of yours?"

"Aa."

She graced him with a happy smile and shut the door, walking over to the huge cupboard that took up one end of the room. Surprising really, that a man like Aoshi would have so much of space set aside for clothes. She opened the cupboard and laughed. That explained it. A small area of the cupboard was filled with neatly pressed clothes, while the rest of it had been converted into a storage space for weapons. His kodachi hung there, scarred leather sheath gleaming dully. There were other weapons as well, some of which she was proficient in, some she hadn't mastered yet. Spying a set of kunai laid out on a ledge, she smiled, remembering the hours of training she'd received from Aoshi on how to handle them, he being the only one brave enough from among the boys to tutor her while she was holding sharp projectiles.

She deftly looked through his clothes, searching for a shirt that was comfy and large. Spying one she liked, she slid her hand underneath it to take it out, and hit something hard under it. Removing the shirt, she saw a large wooden box lying beneath it, shining with the gleam of well-polished wood. She reached out for it, then pulled back, her innate honesty reminding her she had no right to look through his things. She carefully shut the cupboard and laid the shirt out on the bed, ready for her when she came out of the bathroom. Suddenly something caught her eye, and she finally noticed the pictures everyone had been teasing Aoshi about. The picture of both of them under the cherry tree was by her bed in the Aoiya as well, it being one of her most treasured childhood memories.

But the other picture…

She traced her fingers over the Aoshi in the picture, still unable to believe he'd placed the picture so prominently. She hadn't even known the picture existed, or she definitely would have wanted a copy for her own. She recognised the style of photography as being Hyottoko's, he having a knack for catching unknowingly revealing moments on film. They looked so _right_ together, she realised…and the way he was holding her seemed so intimate, the two of them caught up in each other and the dance. She hadn't noticed anyone as they had twirled around the room, everything else fading into the background as she focused on her Aoshi-sama holding her. And for him to have been caught unawares, he had to have been plenty distracted too.

Was there something else in the way he was smiling at her? Something more than the usual affection that stemmed from growing up together, sharing their daily joys and sorrows? Misao didn't know, and dazedly she made her way to the shower, her mind whirling. Omasu had packed shower gel and shampoo but she opted to use Aoshi's, preferring the basic, unscented brand he used to the flowery-smelling one Omasu had provided. Soon she was dry and dressed, walking out of the room with a last glance at the pictures.

-…-…-…-

Aoshi looked up at Misao's approach and almost lost the power of speech.

She was so beautiful.

She wore shorts that came down to an inch above the knee, showing off her toned legs. She wore one of his shirts that almost fell to mid-thigh on her, flowing about her slim body. It was a V-necked shirt made out of soft, clingy material…which on him looked like any other plain dark green t-shirt. On her the neckline dipped enticingly low, showing him a hint of cleavage, while the material clung lovingly to her upper body, outlining her curves and showing him _just_ how much she'd grown up. Her hair was unbound and fell about her in shining velvet waves he itched to run his fingers through. She was combing her fingers through the drying strands, and it took all of his considerable self-control not to offer to take over the job.

He tensed, realising the shirt she was wearing had been the one lying atop his keepsake box, the one that contained most of the things he held dear. Letters from his parents were in there, along with old photographs. What he was thinking of was the small valentines day card Misao had given him years ago as children, which if he recalled correctly had been lying right on top of the pile. His tension lasted only a second however. Misao was not one to invade the privacy of others.

She sat down on the huge leather sofa beside him, almost purring as she sank into the seat. He cleared his throat and looked at her sideways, wondering how to bring up the topic they'd been so untimely interrupted discussing. Deciding that directness was the best way to go, he looked straight ahead and spoke.

"So… I believe we were talking about chocolates…"

He turned to find her with her head bowed, long fall of hair hiding her expression from him.

"Anou… I wouldn't want you to accept any chocolate I give you out of a sense of obligation."

"Misao—"

She refused to look up, determinedly keeping her gaze locked on her knees. Gentle fingers tucked her hair behind her ear, allowing him to see her lightly flushed face. She was biting her lower lip gently, not wanting to see the expression on his face. His thumb brushed over her mouth to make her stop gnawing at her lip in a gesture as habitual as it was affectionate, the lip-biting being a habit he'd been trying to break her of for years. When she turned to look up at him with huge eyes, he realised how intimate it seemed, especially here and now. Yet he didn't move his hand, still cupping her chin.

"Misao…Whatever you've given to me has _never_ been accepted out of a sense of obligation."

She looked at him for a moment more, the hope in her heart warring with the knowledge that if he rejected her, she would still be in this apartment come morning, with no familiar room to run to. The calmness of his gaze, and the pictures by his bed gave her the strength to rise and go over to her school bag. Taking out a package wrapped simply in deep blue, she shut her eyes for a second, gathering the courage to turn and walk back to him. He watched her approach him, no hint of what he was thinking on his face. She handed him the box and cast her eyes down, unable to watch while he opened it.

She heard the soft rustle of paper, and the sound of cardboard scraping against cardboard as he lifted the lid. She waited with bated breath, knowing what he was looking at. She'd made him a simple slab of white chocolate, his favourite, but painted across it in darker chocolate were the words "I love you". Hearing him replace the lid and place the box on the table, she shut her eyes tight, bracing for the inevitable rejection. But instead she let out an undignified squeak as she was yanked off her feet to land sideways on his lap, wrapped up in a tight embrace. His voice came, low and serious, beside her ear.

"You have to be _sure_ Misao…because if what you wrote is true, I'll never let you go."

_:Is he kidding me! I've loved him since I was three:_

Her eyes widened when she saw a small smile grace his face, then she blushed as she realised it was because she'd inadvertently spoken her thoughts out loud. Before she could say anything else, firm lips were on hers, gently coaxing a response from her. He drew back and nuzzled her neck, enjoying the feel of her slight weight in his arms. He heard her sharp intake of breath as he tasted her skin, then small hands were on his cheeks, drawing his face up so she could look at him.

"I love you…And don't think this gets you out of saying it too!"

With dizzying swiftness she was flat on her back on the sofa, gazing up into green eyes that had taken on a decidedly darker, more possessive look. He was stretched out atop her, caging her body with his own and supporting his weight on his forearms. His voice was dark and velvety as he spoke, head bending down towards hers.

"What do you want me to say, Misao-mine?"

She couldn't think straight, the soft kisses he was pressing across her face and neck making her breathless. She _knew_ he was holding himself under tight control, just as she knew she would do everything in her power to _break_ that control. Her shaking hands reached up to entwine in his hair, running through the rich black silk. She'd never felt like this before, so alive, so powerful. His scent enveloped her, the taste of his skin spicy on her tongue. She tried to pull him down to rest fully atop her, but his strength surpassed hers.

"Do you want me to tell you how much I've ached for you?"

This time he took her mouth in a hard, possessive kiss, his tongue darting in to sample her and finding she tasted honey-sweet, with a tang that was uniquely Misao. She mewled deep in her throat as she fell into the kiss, the involuntary sound slicing at his hard-won control. Her hands had slipped under the collar of his shirt, groping blindly at taut skin. He growled his approval as her nails raked lightly over him, stealing her breath with another kiss. Her movements were sinuous, cloth sliding against cloth sparking flames in both of them. Biting softly into her lower lip, he laved at the bruise she'd made earlier, sipping her breath from her lips. Blindly he pressed a trail of open-mouthed kisses down her throat, marvelling at how fragile she seemed beneath his larger body.

"Do you want me to tell you I've wanted this since you were 14? Do you want me to tell you I had to move out because I felt like a damned _paedophile_ for wanting you?"

She mewled again, almost unable to understand his words, only aware of the fire he was igniting beneath her skin. By this time she was writhing beneath him, wanting, needing more. His breath caught as she arched up into him, pressing her firm breasts into his chest and innocently offering her throat. He lowered himself atop her, freeing his hands. One slid up under her shirt, while the other tilted her head to give him better access to her mouth. As her hands went to the buttons of his shirt a memory flashed through his mind and he growled, nipping at the tops of her breasts and making her gasp.

"Did you want me to tell you I've never been so jealous in my life as when Seta asked you out and you accepted? Do you want to know I almost turned into a stalker, wanting to follow you and protect you on your _date_!"

His hand slid up her back, tracing the line of her spine over what seemed like miles of silky smooth skin. He abruptly stopped his wanderings when he realised he hadn't encountered a bra. She instinctively parted her legs beneath him, making a cradle for his hips, innocently grinding into him and making him gasp. Before he could stop himself his hand had slid around to her front, delicately skimming the flat plane of her stomach. The throaty groan that came from her lips was almost his undoing. She was stretched out beneath him, needy and sensual and responding to his every touch.

"How much more do you want to hear?"

He broke off with a muffled curse and buried his face in her hair, his wandering hands stilling their movements. By now both hands were under her shirt, taking his fill of her silky skin.

"How about…How about you start with 'I love you' and we'll take it from there."

He laughed at that, raising his head to look into her eyes. Her lips were glistening from his kisses, and he could see the light marks on her neck where he'd nibbled on her skin. Her breaths were coming hard and fast, and he could feel himself respond to seeing her chest rise and fall with each breath. Try as he might, he couldn't suppress a surge of purely male pride at seeing her so completely marked as his.

"I love you."

He was granted a brilliant and blinding smile at that, she never having thought to hear those words from his lips. She had noticed the way his eyes had darkened as he looked at her, and it shocked her how good it felt to be wanted that way.

To be needed.

She could almost see him rein himself in, and mentally shook her head. She loved all of him, and she definitely wanted him. In true Misao fashion, she decided to do something about it.

"Now, back to where we were just now."

She placed a light kiss on his lips, feeling him stiffen as her hands roamed down the hard planes of his chest.

"Misao, I think we—"

She cut him off with another, more lingering kiss.

"Aoshi…Has anyone told you that you think too much?"

Now she pressed a wet, open-mouthed kiss upon him, her innocent ardour more than making up for her inexperience. Her thumbs brushed over something, startling a gasp out of both of them.

"Oh my…"

Her fingers skated over his nipple, tweaking the nipple ring she would _never_ have expected to find in a million years. Her actions had an unexpected result, as he groaned and ground into her, the feeling of his hardness pressing into her sending an arrow of sensation between her thighs. She did it again, murmuring "Did I hit a sensitive spot?" His bruising kiss was enough answer, ravaging her mouth in his passion. His hands moved up to cup her breasts, stroking the sensitive flesh with his fingers and raking the tips softly with his blunt nails, making her call out his name.

He liked that, liked the way the syllables caught in her throat as her eyes went hazy with passion. Slowly he tugged the shirt off her, revealing unblemished skin and pert, rosy-tipped breasts. She saw something feral emerge in his eyes, something that made her chest tighten and her hips roll up into his, but she couldn't prevent herself from crossing her arms across her chest, hiding herself from his gaze. She didn't resist when he gently tugged her hands away, but a light tide of colour swept over her face and she averted her eyes. "I know I'm not—" Whatever else she was about to say was swallowed by his mouth, the skilled movements of his hands making her pant. "You're perfect… And I think you're uncomfortable because you're the only one removing clothes."

Her eyes darted back to him at that, his gentle tone at odds with the heat in his gaze. She watched breathlessly as he raised his body slightly and slipped off his shirt, the buttons undone by her own hands. She almost moaned aloud at the sight of him, one golden nipple ring flashing in the light and smooth tanned skin stretched over taut muscles. Now she knew why he was always careful to ensure his body was covered. He noticed where her gaze was and smirked, obviously aware of his effect on her. Slowly he lowered himself, both of their bodies tensing at the feel of skin upon skin.

He rolled to his side, sandwiching Misao between him and the back of the sofa. One hand on her hip, the other pillowing their heads, he fought to get his breathing and his body under control. Placing his forehead against hers, he held her shuddering body against his, her arms sliding about his neck to return the embrace. He could feel her press against him and knew that if he didn't get himself under control, he'd take her right there on the sofa. Brushing a kiss on her damp forehead, he looked into her eyes.

"Misao, your first time shouldn't be on a sofa on the—" "There's a huge bed over there." she pointed out, effectively distracting him for a few seconds with images of what could be. Mock-scowling down at her, he shook his head. "That's not what I meant and you know it. I want us to take our time. I don't think we should rush this…" She looked up at him mischievously, making him groan both at the seductive look in her eyes and the way she was gently playing with his piercing. Laughing quietly, she sobered and kissed him gently, finishing off with a parting nuzzle.

"I _do_ know what you meant Aoshi-sa—"

She broke off to laugh at the half-amused, half-frustrated look he shot her at the honorific, and he smacked the side of her hip lightly. "You're lying in my arms half- _naked_ …yet I'm still Aoshi- _sama_!" She flushed at the reminder of their half-clothed state, her body still feeling the aftershocks of their earlier antics. "The habits of over a decade are hard to break, ne? Besides, you'll always be my Aoshi-sama…Along with being my Aoshi-anata I suppose." He had to kiss her at that, the smile she gave him too beautiful not to reward. As he held her he felt her shiver slightly, the air-conditioning cool on her bare skin.

He brought them both into a sitting position and stood up, lifting her in his arms and snatching up their discarded shirts. "You're cold, and you're still tired from this afternoon. You should be resting." She snuggled into him, content to be in his arms, knowing these interesting developments would be continued soon, if not today. "Only if you rest with me…I'll still be cold all alone in that huge bed."

"Did you think I'd be anywhere else?"

-…-…-…-

Moonlight shone into a large bedroom, bathing the occupants of the bed in silvery light as they held each other. She nestled her head into the crook of his shoulder, lying half-atop him with her arm thrown over his chest. He slept peacefully, bangs covering his eyes and a slight curve to his lips as he held her to him, protective even in slumber. In the living room, a box of chocolates sat on the table, waiting for morning.

-…-…-…-


End file.
